BRONX, NY — You would think Sunday afternoon’s series finale between the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees at the Stadium would be an all out pitchers duel — two stellar aces on the mound, Yu Darvish vs. Gerrit Cole, but instead, a sold out crowd of 47,295 witnessed an old fashion hit parade.
Starting in the second inning, which felt like a ‘little league inning,’ as the Bronx Bombers surrendered a ‘little league home run’ to Padres’ José Azocar (Guiria, Venezuela).
Harrison Bader overthrows Kyle Higashioka – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
José Azocar rounds third and heads home after Higashioka makes throwing error – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Little League Home Run for José Azocar !!!#BringTheGold pic.twitter.com/9CN5IC9K6T
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 28, 2023
What followed was the Yankees offense coming alive in the home half of the third with a hit parade: batting around the order, and scoring seven runs on eight hits…
And each Yankees run in the third came by a single, double, or a fielder’s choice. That’s complimentary baseball at its finest — forcing consistent pressure on the opponent while working the counts and piecing together productive at-bats.
Anthony Volpe in seven-run third inning – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“I think we just got into good counts and when you get into good counts with the hitters that we got, we’re gonna do some damage,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who was 2-4 with a HR (his 15th of the season), said about the third inning momentum.
“Guys we’re able to lock in on their pitch, get into good counts and delivered,” Judge added.
Aaron Judge hits his 15th HR of the 2023 season – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted: “Just a string of really good at-bats, I mean that’s not easy to do there. When you get to a pitcher like Yu Darvish, usually it’s a big home run. Obviously a big inning and that kind of fueled us today.”
Speaking of Darvish, Sunday marked the 36-year-old’s first start against the Yankees since 2017. The right-hander was removed in the third, allowing a total of seven runs, all earned — the most runs let up by Darvish in an outing this season.
We Willie love to see it 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hQlkjyZ6YP
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 28, 2023
“It seemed like they were on his spin, on his heater when he threw it,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin said in the postgame. “Just one of those days they were looking for pitches and got them and maybe not his best as far as location.”
On the other side, Cole, who entered the day 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA, battled through the adversity that the Padres lineup presents, completing six innings, and allowing six runs, five earned on four hits (two HR) and three walks.
Gerrit Cole – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“This was a good team win today for sure,” Cole said following the 10-7 victory. “Being able to kinda subdue them through the middle innings and keep the momentum I thought played in our favor. But, it’s such a luxury to have the offense and types of players we have.”
Despite improving to 6-0 on the year, this now marks back-to-back starts from Cole letting up five earned runs as well as two home runs. Something to keep an eye on as the 32-year-old right-hander contends for the American League Cy Young Award.
But enough on the pitching, Sunday’s series finale included an old fashion hit parade and perhaps a ‘hitting marathon’ — the Padres and Yankees combined to score 17 runs on 17 hits (four HR), and recorded 33 total bases.
Robert Rizzo is a journalist and co-editor of Latino Sports – Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com
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Julio Pabón
May 28, 2023 at 11:59 pm
Good succinct reporting and great pictures and videos.